Football fans and the refugee crisis

[olaftab]

And flog them the latest issue 

That's a crass comment considering the seriousness of this debate.

[Pat McMahon]

How about if 50 Syrians moved into your street though ??

If they're anything like the Bulgarians, bring 'em on!

One of my 2 business partners is Bulgarian so I know exactly what you are getting at LouzieO

[pauliewalnuts]

This country had a reputation for centuries for doing the right thing.

I'd like it to come back, but the response of the political class - not just the government, NB - so far has been embarrassing. Paralysed with fear.

I don't like hyperbole, but it honestly makes me feel embarrassed to be British. I have friends in Italy and I hear their experiences with recent migrants and then I think about the stuff you hear from people here about ours, and people are living in cloud cuckoo land.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I guess I am in the minority. I don't see why this should have anything to do with football at all.

Terrible things happen every day, from someones relative getting ill or dying, to thousands being displaced by war to environmental devastation.

To me football is an escape from that. I don't need or want football to "get involved". I just want some simple entertainment to take my mind off such things.

Shrug. Not trying to offend anybody just my perspective.

[villadelph]

Glad the club is proactively on the correct side of this issue. It's going to take more than some awareness at the football ground though.

[Jimbo]

I don't see this as a political issue. This is an urgent humanitarian issue, and if some individuals at an event with a huge worldwide TV audience can help get this message across, then it's a positive course of action. These people need help now.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't see this as a political issue. This is an urgent humanitarian issue, and if some individuals at an event with a huge worldwide TV audience can help get this message across, then it's a positive course of action. These people need help now.

Precisely.

It isn't political, it is about human decency.

[Louzie0]

How about if 50 Syrians moved into your street though ??

If they're anything like the Bulgarians, bring 'em on!

One of my 2 business partners is Bulgarian so I know exactly what you are getting at LouzieO

Always welcome, Pat!

I have a spare room, used by language assistants for various schools over the years.
It is at the service of the refugees whenever they arrive, and welcome.

[1_Pablo_Angel]

Proud to see Villa's name on this story.

[1_Pablo_Angel]

I don't see this as a political issue. This is an urgent humanitarian issue, and if some individuals at an event with a huge worldwide TV audience can help get this message across, then it's a positive course of action. These people need help now.

Precisely.

It isn't political, it is about human decency.

Human decency should override any political considerations given the seriousness of these people's plight, of course. That being said, the link between our own government's actions in the middle east and the numbers of refugees is one almost totally missing from press coverage, which really ought to place additional responsibility on us to help as much as we can.

[olaftab]

I have a spare room, used by language assistants for various schools over the years.
It is at the service of the refugees whenever they arrive, and welcome.

You are an angel Lou...world needs more people like you.

[dave.woodhall]

Stated in off-topic but I'll say here again. The anti-Brigada posters on the H&V facebook post of that guardian link really bug me.

Shouting off about Celtic, the IRA and our veterans being more important than anyone from outside the country.

Kids are fucking drowning in the sea as families escape war zones, and people are so ignorant.

Anyone who links this to the IRA have an agenda that really isn't worth delving into.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't see this as a political issue. This is an urgent humanitarian issue, and if some individuals at an event with a huge worldwide TV audience can help get this message across, then it's a positive course of action. These people need help now.

Precisely.

It isn't political, it is about human decency.

Human decency should override any political considerations given the seriousness of these people's plight, of course. That being said, the link between our own government's actions in the middle east and the numbers of refugees is one almost totally missing from press coverage, which really ought to place additional responsibility on us to help as much as we can.

In fairness, it's far from just our government, it is the entire western world which seems to only make things worse every time it engages with that part of the world.

[ROBBO]

Governments are the problem not the people, if the suburb i live in was asked to support twenty families of Syrian refugees i have no doubt that they would be welcomed with open arms, replicate that across developed countries and that would go a long way to solving the problem. With the prime minister we have there is no chance of this happening. Save the children.

[pauliewalnuts]

Governments are the problem not the people, if the suburb i live in was asked to support twenty families of Syrian refugees i have no doubt that they would be welcomed with open arms, replicate that across developed countries and that would go a long way to solving the problem. With the prime minister we have there is no chance of this happening. Save the children.

Australia is a great example of how governments are often the problem.